[center][h2][color=plum]Dwyn[/color][/h2][/center]

It didn't take long for Dwyn to feel she would lose herself in the darkness. She couldn't see much at all, but something kept her moving nonetheless. It was more comforting to pretend there was no danger than to look upon the monsters that they faced; at least if something were to leap from the darkness, she wouldn't see it coming before her death. Better than watching whatever monstrosities awaited her as they tore her limb from limb.

But as the girl continued to walk, the only things that assaulted her were images. Images, and the oppressive, terrifying knowledge that she'd seen this before. That these monsters, or things such as them, were not new. And perhaps most frighteningly, that she'd seen this scenario before. She didn't want to remember, didn't want more evidence of her cowardice than what she had already.

Yet there was little she could do to halt the flood of images that assaulted her.

[hider=Easier to run]
[i]They were fighting for their lives. There were too many - too many monstrosities to count, and even their elite warriors were being slowly overwhelmed. She didn't know what to do, her spear and shield heavier than she'd ever felt them in her arms. Standing back, she could do little more than watch.

There were so [b]many[/b]--

She wasn't on the front-lines, far from a senior fighter. It was her duty to raise the alarm, to signal for reinforcements. Her instincts were sharp enough to spot a gap in the fighting, a way to the watchtower where the horn could be blown. A death sentence once she drew the attention of their foes, but help would ensure their victory, for the life of a single squire.

It was her duty to cast aside her emotions, to act for the renewal of order. For a world of chaos could only be redeemed by the loss of worldly desires, by disregard for the lives of those broken and tainted by the blight. And with the blades of those willing to be nothing more than a weapon, wielded in the name of gods that had abandoned them. To be free of emotion was to be free of fear, of anger, of disgust.

A vow that Dwyn could never fulfil. A duty that she could not complete. An escape that she was all too willing to take.

And this world was not forgiving of deserters.[/i]
[/hider]


No, she was better than that, wasn't she? She wouldn't have been so pathetic, so selfish... [color=plum][i]Why not ask the others what they think, [b]deserter[/b]?[/i][/color]

Oh, yes, she was a deserter, a coward, a liability by every stretch of the word. How arrogant, to believe she was some sort of hero when she couldn't even face a single creature. How pathetic! Almost entertainingly so, and as if in response to the flood of memories, she felt her weapon becoming heavier, as though it was twisting, laughing at her. It felt real, hauntingly, frighteningly [i]real[/i].

Or perhaps she was just going quite mad. It was entirely possible, and should have scared her more than it did. The voice that came from above took a moment for her to notice, at first dismissed as a figment of her imagination. At least, until it continued to speak, and she looked up to see the small man. He held some sort of lantern, almost as large as he was. Those creatures-- Had they not held lights as well? It put her on edge, and she was silent as she listened to him speak. Was this creature a threat? Whatever he was, his words cut deep. 

'A hero wouldn't run'. The statement cut all the deeper because it rang true. But what were the others?

[color=plum]"Heroes, or fools?"[/color] Dwyn mused, smiling bitterly. She wasn't sure if she could trust this man, but Dwyn did not want to face this place by herself. These monstrosities, these monsters... the thought of being alone to face them filled her with terror. She didn't want to die. Raising her head, she called out to the owner of the voice. [color=plum]"I have no interest in treasure, and even less in becoming a sacrifice of any kind."[/color]

A sigh. [color=plum]"So I see no reason that our goals should conflict. I know little of this place, but my weapon might provide some protection."[/color] If she could steel her courage enough to use it as required, that was. Dwyn had kept walking towards the man, hoping that he would not take her approach as any kind of threat. The soul of a god? She wasn't sure what that meant, what that could [i]possibly[/i] mean.

But it sounded as though it could perhaps help her. Help all of them. From the man's words, describing them as a 'pack' those may not the only creatures that haunted these halls. Dwyn hoped that the others would hold their own for now, but if they were hopelessly outnumbered her conscience couldn't let her abandon them completely - or was it just the worry that the things might come for her next?

[color=plum]"So, all that being said..."[/color] She nodded after a long moment, deciding that any decision would be better than staying here to wait helplessly for her demise. [color=plum]"I believe we may be able to help each other."[/color]